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Podiatrists warn of barefoot running dangers

Wednesday 23rd May 2012
Podiatrists warn of barefoot running dangers
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Amateur athletes are being warned of the dangers of running barefoot by a team of US doctors and podiatrists.

With the Olympics fast-approaching, the focus on fitness is higher than ever before, and many people will be inspired to get in shape. But ditching the trainers and going barefoot could create significant problems and can increase the chance of an injury.

Thanks to the best-selling book 'Born To Run', where author Christopher McDougall tells of a tribe in Mexico which runs long distances in either sandals or barefoot, many people have been taking up the trend.

However, Bob Baravarian, chief of podiatry at the UCLA Medical Centre in Santa Monica, California, warned that those who are not used to running barefoot increase the risk of having stress fractures and heel injuries.

He said: "All of a sudden, the strain going through your foot is multiplied manifold' and problems occur when people don't ease into it."

While shoe runners have longer strides and land on their heel, those who ditch their trainers take shorter steps and come down on their midfoot or forefoot increasing the chance of an injury.

Contact the specialist recruitment company, Mediplacements, to find a podiatry job.

written by Angela NewburyADNFCR-1780-ID-801369816-ADNFCR

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